Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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534. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the working group will be established to examine the issues in relation to the legislative process, transitional arrangements and establishment of the new agency in advance of the publication of the research Bill; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59174/22]

Rose Conway-Walsh (Mayo, Sinn Fein)
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535. To ask the Minister for Education and Skills when the research Bill will be published; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [59175/22]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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I propose to take Questions Nos. 534 and 535 together.

The Programme for Government Our Shared Future includes a commitment to ensure that Ireland is a global leader in research and innovation across the arts, humanities, social sciences and STEM. Consequently, Impact 2030: Ireland's Research and Innovation Strategy, which I launched on the 18th of May, positions research and innovation at the heart of addressing Ireland's societal, economic and environmental challenges.

A key initiative in Impact 2030is to bring a landmark Research Bill to Government to create a new competitive research and innovation funding agency, combining and building on the missions of the Irish Research Council and Science Foundation Ireland. The new agency will not only support research across all disciplines, but it will enable greater interdisciplinary research activity in Ireland. This amalgamation will also improve coordination of funding activities, administrative efficiencies and it will simplify the suite of supports for researchers, while building on both funders’ respective existing track records and international reputations.

The contribution of this new agency to the national research and innovation system and the alignment with the broader tertiary system and policy developments within my Department must be considered. In addition, the agency will have a role in ensuring a cohesive delivery of Ireland’s international research and innovation strategic engagements.

The first step in this task was to establish a high level workgroup for the Research Bill involving DFHERIS and the key organisations involved (Science Foundation Ireland, the Higher Education Authority and the Irish Research Council) which will consider the legislative process, transitional arrangements and establishment of the new agency. This high level workgroup has been established and its first meeting took place in October 2022. A wider consultation process is also being planned.

The timeline to publish the Research Bill will be informed by this work.